Tagged…Ow!

Okay, I’ve got nothing better…actually I’ve got plenty better to do but since I’m feeling funked right now, I thought I’d do something that may provide me a little laugh.

1. One book that changed your life: I won’t go with the obvious answer here (the Bible) as it is fundamental but instead I’ll do what ol’ NH did and harken back to my childhood/teen years. “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.” I was stunned by this book. It utterly blew me a way. And while the movie is terrific, it truly pales in comparison to the novel. I found such an elegant and powerful connection with character of MacMurphy that I think my life took an irrevocable change for better and worse at that time. Better and worse in that my creative freedom and integrity and my utterly stubborn and immoveable hardheadness were born. Changed me for ever. Nearly 20 years after reading this book I had the opportunity to play MacMurphy in a critically and commercially successful production of the stage play. In all my years of acting it is probably the ONLY time I’ve been in a play that I knew I could go on playing this character forever. He was easy to live in because he felt so right at home.

2. One book that you have read more than once: The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi and the Art of War by Sun Tzu. I usually try to re-read them together every couple of years.

3. One book you’d want on a desert island: This one is obvious. My bible. I will add though it be followed a distant second by the Complete Works of William Shakespeare.

4. One book that made you laugh: Good Omen’s by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. This book is freakin’ hilarious.

5. One book that made you cry: There have been a few in my time but the FIRST that I can remember is Terry Brook’s The Sword of Shannara. Now, I realize there is much better fantasy fiction out there. I also realize that Brook’s most certainly borrowed heavily from ‘other’ sources (but then again so did Shakespeare.) However, as a 15 year old who had just gotten into reading fantasy (I came over from reading hard core sci-fi) !!!SPOILER ALERT!!! when Hendel died I nearly went out of my mind. Beautiful scene. I haven’t read it since that first time but it does still nestle strongly in my memory.

6. One book you wish would have been written: “How to Put the Artistry BACK into the Theatre.”

7. One book you wish had never been written: 3rd edition Dungeons and Dragons. YIKES! How’s that for bitterness. Seriously though, as an avid gamer, while I believe 3rd edition has somewhat rekindled the rpg industry, it has moved gaming so rapidly towards what is essentially a handwritten computer game and far away from the roleplaying game it should be. My opinion and there are plenty of arguements (and people who will argue) different but I stick by it.

8. One book you are currently reading: Last of the Amazons by Stephen Pressfield (author of the amazing Gates of Fire.) Not as good as GoF but an enjoyable read nonetheless.

9. One book you have been meaning to read: Finnegan’s Wake. I am saving this for when I turn 60. I figure by then I MIGHT be able to have enough world experience to understand about 10% of what Joyce wrote.